Albuquerque weather in December: Albuquerque, New Mexico: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Albuquerque in December has a normal high of 47°F and a normal low of 27°F, a daily mean of 37°F, falling from 51°F on the 1st to 46°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 4 days in a normal December, 0.53 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 8°C and low of −3°C, 13 mm of precipitation and 7 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationAlbuquerque International Airport
- Station IDUSW00023050
- Location35.04°N 106.62°W
- Elevation5,310 ft (1,619 m)
- From the center5 miles
- Population560,326
- Jan 48° 26°
- Feb 54° 30°
- Mar 63° 36°
- Apr 70° 43°
- May 80° 52°
- Jun 90° 62°
- Jul 91° 67°
- Aug 89° 65°
- Sep 83° 58°
- Oct 71° 46°
- Nov 57° 34°
- Dec 47° 27°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Albuquerque in December?
The normal high is 47°F and the normal low 27°F, for a daily mean of 36.9°F. December is 8.8°F cooler than November and 0.5°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Albuquerque and the 7th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 5°F, from 51°F on December 1 to 46°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 2.3°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 35°F and 39°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 13%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 51°F | 29°F | 12% | 6% |
| December 8 | 48°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% |
| December 15 | 47°F | 26°F | 13% | 6% |
| December 22 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% |
| December 31 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 26)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 51°F | 29°F | 12% | 6% | 10 h |
| December 2 | 50°F | 29°F | 12% | 6% | 10 h |
| December 3 | 50°F | 28°F | 12% | 6% | 10 h |
| December 4 | 50°F | 28°F | 13% | 6% | 10 h |
| December 5 | 49°F | 28°F | 13% | 6% | 10 h |
| December 6 | 49°F | 28°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 7 | 49°F | 28°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 8 | 48°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 9 | 48°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 10 | 48°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 11 | 48°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 12 | 47°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 13 | 47°F | 27°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 14 | 47°F | 26°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 15 | 47°F | 26°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 16 | 47°F | 26°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 17 | 47°F | 26°F | 13% | 6% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 18 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 19 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 20 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 21 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 22 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 23 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 24 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 25 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 26 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 27 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 28 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 29 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 30 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 31 | 46°F | 26°F | 13% | 5% | 9 h 50 min |
- Normal high
- 47°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 27°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 0.53 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 40.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 2.8 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 26
- Daylight
- 10 h to 9 h 50 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 81%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00023050; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Albuquerque in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 13% on average, highest around December 13 (13%). In all, 0.53 in falls on 4 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Albuquerque, 26 nights fall to freezing, 1 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 2.8 inches.
Snow falls on 3 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 1 day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00023050.
How humid and windy is Albuquerque in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 45°F with 34% relative humidity and a dew point of 18°F; at 6 a.m. it is 28°F with 64% humidity. The wind averages 6.6 mph, most often from the west-northwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 28°F | 18°F | 64% | 6.2 mph | 54% |
| 9 a.m. | 31°F | 19°F | 59% | 6.0 mph | 46% |
| noon | 40°F | 19°F | 42% | 6.8 mph | 43% |
| 3 p.m. | 45°F | 18°F | 34% | 7.6 mph | 44% |
| 6 p.m. | 40°F | 19°F | 42% | 7.2 mph | 43% |
| 9 p.m. | 35°F | 19°F | 50% | 6.6 mph | 55% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00023050. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for December in Albuquerque?
The warmest December temperature on Albuquerque's official record (since 1891) is 72°F, on December 23, 1915; the coldest is −16°F, on December 26, 1911. The wettest December brought 2.43 in (1914); the snowiest, 20.8 inches (2006).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 36.9°F: 2021 41.2°F (+4.3), 2022 39.0°F (+2.1), 2023 39.8°F (+2.9), 2024 42.0°F (+5.1), 2025 47.1°F (+10.2). 5 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41.2°F | +4.3°F | 0.20 in |
| 2022 | 39.0°F | +2.1°F | 0.64 in |
| 2023 | 39.8°F | +2.9°F | 1.01 in |
| 2024 | 42.0°F | +5.1°F | 0.00 in |
| 2025 | 47.1°F | +10.2°F | 0.24 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record ABQthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00023050. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Albuquerque compare across New Mexico?
Across the 98 places PlainClimate covers in New Mexico, December normal highs run from 35°F in Red River to 60°F in Jal; Albuquerque's is 47°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Albuquerque in November57°F by day, 34°F at night
- Albuquerque in January48°F by day, 26°F at night
- Albuquerque through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- New Mexico in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Jal: New Mexico's warmest Decembernormal high 60°F